Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21 was a good ride that ended at Castle Semple Loch.
This is one of many great routes I have cycled in Scotland. Other great routes I have cycled are listed on the page Cycle Routes in Scotland.
Route details –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
For more details, map, etc. see my Route Details blog : Cycle Routes in Scotland : Paisley – Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) – ROUTE DETAILS
Timings & Distances –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
This section details the times I took for the various parts of the day and the distances cycled. It includes how long it took me to drive to the start of the route and when I started cycling. It also includes how long I cycled for between various points in the route. The distances (in miles) between various points in the route, how long I rested for, etc. are also included.
I included this section to assist others with planning their day if they decide to do this route. Each person, of course, will have to adjust the timings to suit their own circumstances. For example, the time required to travel to the start of the route, cycling speed, rest times, etc. will be different for different people.
(Note: The figures in brackets are the cumulative distances in miles from the start of the route.)
Left house 10.30 / De-iced car & left at 10.40 / Paisley Stow Street car park 11.00 / Started cycling 11.15 / SPECTACULAR FALL 12.05 – 12.20 / Castle Semple Loch 12.35 (9.56) / Lunch to 1.00 / Cycled around Lochwinnoch for 25 mins. / Back at Loch 1.30 (12.26) / Back at car 2.45 (21.76) / Left 3.05 / Home 3.25.
Choice of route –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
I was originally intending to cycle to Gleniffer Braes Country Park in Paisley today, which is an on-road route.
However, when I got up there had been a heavy frost overnight and the roads looked icy. I therefore decided just to cycle on a cycle path which I thought would be safer in these conditions. Consequently I drove to the Stow Street car park in Paisley where I could pick up the NCN 7 cycle path.
I was now intending to cycle on the NCN 7 to Kilbirnie. This would give me a round trip of about 27 miles. Also, Kilbirnie is within my local authority area so I would be complying with the current Covid 19 guidelines.
Log –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
Although it was cold and frosty it was a fine winter’s day with a clear blue sky and bright sunshine.
To try to stop getting too cold and to get some exercise on a level route I cycled at quite a fast rate for me. Consequently I was making quite good time.
Being Thrown off my Bike
However, where the cycle path passes under the road from the village of Howwood, a few miles from Castle Temple Loch, I had a SPECTACULAR FALL!
I was approaching a small underpass on the cycle path and two young women were walking through it. They were being very slow and careful as there was a large patch of ice at the entrance to the underpass. I slowed right down to let them pass and then I cycled through. I didn’t realise how big and slippy the patch of ice was. As I cycled over it the bike collapsed beneath me and slid to the left and I was thrown to the right. Fortunately I landed flat on my back and didn’t hit my head on the tarmac so I was okay. The only damage to the bike was the front mudguard was a bit out of alignment, which I managed to adjust later. Also, one of the pedals was a bit bent.
Another cyclist has a fall
The two young women came back to make sure I was okay. As I was dusting myself down and talking to them a woman on an electric bike cycled through the underpass. Before we could warn her, she too had a spectacular fall on the patch of ice!
I asked her if she had any serious damage and she said she didn’t. However, she just lay there on the path without making any attempt to get up. One of the two girls tended to her and put her on her side. She then noticed that the woman had blood dripping from her head so she applied a paper tissue to it. The other girl phoned an ambulance. A guy who was running on the cycle path came along. He seemed to be a local so he gave instructions to the ambulance people. Another female cyclist who had come along went up to the road above the underpass to look out for the ambulance.
When I lifted up the woman’s bike and moved it to the side I noticed that her handlebars were badly out of alignment. So I straightened them up. She didn’t have any water left so I poured some into her bottle from mine.
I began to warn all of the people who came along about the icy patch but they all still slipped a bit on the sheet of ice as they were walking across it.
Another male cyclist came along and he said he was a nurse, so I decided to leave then. Fortunately I wasn’t any worse for wear so I just continued cycling along.
Castle Semple Loch
When I arrived at Castle Temple Loch the sun was shining and it wasn’t too cold. So I took a wee bit longer eating my sandwiches and enjoying the views across the loch.
I then set off along to the other end of the loch on the route to Kilbirnie. I followed the route to the right across the road out of Lochwinnoch and past the Lochwinnoch Annexe building. Here there was a junction to the right leading to the village centre. I stopped here for a bit as I was unsure if I still wanted to cycle the additional 7 miles in total to and from Kilbirnie. Eventually I decided not to continue to Kilbirnie. I knew it would get colder later plus I wanted to get back early. Also, my legs were a wee bit sore from the harder cycling I had been doing. I therefore headed into the village centre and ended up cycling through several of the side streets for about 25 minutes. I was surprised to discover that Lochwinnoch was much bigger than I thought.
Return Journey
Then I cycled back to Castle Temple Loch the way I had come then started to cycle home. Twice people stopped to warn me about the icy patch. They said that a woman had been taken to hospital in an ambulance. When I got to the icy patch I dismounted and walked on the grass at the side of the path to get round it.
The weather in the afternoon remained good with clear blue skies and bright sunshine. As I had expected, though, it was starting to get a wee bit colder.
Electric motor assistance –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
I didn’t use the electric motor at all today as it was a level route.
Summary –
Cycling from Paisley to Lochwinnoch (NCN 7) on 12/01/21
It turned out to be quite an enjoyable day, despite the fall. Cycling at a bit faster rate than I normally do did keep me from getting too cold. Also, it was good exercise. It was good to get out on a nice bright winter’s day. My legs were a wee bit sore from the additional exercise at the end of the day, which was good.
Regarding the fall, it was lucky that I was thrown flat on my back and not on my elbows or hands. Otherwise I could have sustained a bad strain at best and broken bones at worst. Also, unlike the lady who fell after me, I didn’t hit my head on the tarmac path so I had no head injuries. It was also fortunate that a fall like this happened on a cycle path and not on a busy road. On a road I could have been hit by passing cars, which is why I decided to cycle this route in the first place.